Concerts at Hatchlands Park: Benjamin Alard

Benjamin Alard – clavichord by Christian Gotthelf Hoffmann, Ronneburg, 1784

THE PROGRAMME
Attributed to Heinrich Scheidemann (c. 1595-1663) - Lachrymae Pavan after John Dowland
Johan Jakob Froberger (c. 1616-1667) - Toccata II in d minor
Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer (1656-1746) - Prelude VIII and Chaconne in G Major
Dietrich Buxtehude (c. 1637-1707) - Prealudium in g minor BuxWV 163
JS Bach (1685-1750) - Sonata in d minor BWV 964 (Adagio, Fuga-Allegro, Andante, Allegro)
CPE Bach (1714-1778) - 12 Variations über die Folies d’Espagne H.263

This recording was sponsored by Blavatnik Family Foundation.
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THE PERFORMER
Benjamin Alard’s principal passion has always been the music of J.S. Bach and it was for his interpretation of this great composer that he was awarded first prize in the 2004 International Harpsichord Competition in Bruges. While still quite young he began studying music in his hometown in Dieppe, France. He was soon drawn to the organ and entered the Conservatory of Rouen where he studied with Louis Thiry and François Ménissier.

He was first introduced to the harpsichord by Elizabeth Joyé, with whom he studied in Paris before going on, in 2003, to the Schola Cantorum in Basel to work with Jörg-Andreas Bôtticher, Jean-Claude Zehnder and Andrea Marcon.

Since 2005 he has been organist of the Bernard-Aubertin organ in the church of Saint-Louis-en-l’Ile in Paris where each season he gives concerts about the music of Bach.

Today Benjamin Alard divides his time between performing recitals and chamber music on both the harpsichord and organ. He often performs repertoire for two harpsichords with Elisabeth Joyé, in duo with the violinist Francois Fernandez or in trio also with Emmanuel Pahud. He is regularly invited to perform as soloist in music series in Europe, Japan and North America.

Benjamin Alard has recorded for the label Hortus and has made several recordings of works by J. S. Bach for Alpha (Sonatas in trio, Clavier Übung I and II). His recordings have consistently received high praise from the press and have been awarded multiple prizes.

He now devotes himself to the complete works for harpsichord and organ solo of Johann Sebastian Bach for harmonia mundi. Seven boxes, of eighteen, are already available. Volume 3, ‘À la française”, was the recipient of the prestigious Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkrik (German Record Critics' Award). The release of volume 5, “Weimar 1708-1713 - Toccatas and Fuges” was followed in March of 2022 by the publication of volume 6, the first book of “The Well-Tempered Clavier”, marking the work’s 300th anniversary. This recording got the award “Recording of the month” by Gramophone and the famous “Diapason d’or” awarded by the French magazine Diapason. A few weeks ago, harmonia mundi has published a boxed-set of Benjamin Alard’s recordings dedicated to Bach’s “Orgelbüchlein”.

Benjamin Alard performs regularly in principal musical centres world-wide, from Paris to Moscow and Saint-Peterbourg (Mariinsky Theatre), and further afield, to Tokyo, Boston, Madrid, Barcelona, Switzerland or Belgium.
www.benjaminalard.net

THE INSTRUMENT
Saxon clavichord by Christian Gotthelf Hoffmann, Ronneburg, 1784
https://www.cobbecollection.co.uk/col...
Adopted for 2025 by Mr Christoper Gold

A clavichord has the simplest action of any keyboard instrument. The sound is produced only while a metal tangent attached to the inner end of the key lever is in contact with the string. This is a fine example of a Saxon clavichord such as would have been known by the Bach family. J.S. Bach’s first biographer Nikolaus Forkel stated it was Bach’s favourite instrument on account of its singing tone.

THE COLLECTION
The Cobbe Collection at Hatchlands possesses the world’s largest group of keyboards owned by or associated with the masters of music in the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods, including instruments that belonged to or were played by Purcell, J C Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Bizet, Chopin, Liszt, Mahler and Elgar.